Samsung VPD 351 a Review and a WARNING...

The quality is dire and to illustrate it I have uploaded two images here so you can see how bad it really is.

I have circled the blue stripe that dogs the left hand of the image and the vertical lines that really get on your nerves. They are like very transparent vertical blinds.

This zoomed image my be better for you:

Please tell me if you think I'm over reacting here, but when I buy a video camera I expect a certain level of quality. I've seen better videos taken from a still digital camera that take Mpeg movies.

The scene was well lit and the camera was set to the correct settings unyet you get a terrible image. When we shot the same scene with my mates camera, a JVC, it was crystal clear.

I returned my camera to Argos and they sent it for repair. It came back exactly the same and they then gave me a replacement (as a good will gesture they say. No, within the law I say under the Sales of Goods Act 1979)

The replacement was exactly the same and at this point they had contacted Samsung who say they know of no known faults with this system. This means now that Argos won't budge and all they will do is send it off for repair - AGAIN!

I haven't finished with them yet... but I would strongly advise against this camera, especially if you want to take a half reasonable video.

I suspect the lenses on the s sung are very poor and the ccd insensitive, I suspect the shot you posted may not be bright enough to stop the camera going into 'digital gain', this always increases noise. Is it any better in bright light?

Sep 2005 I was just about to buy the VPD351 as a backup camera, simply because it had a mic input (which you can hardly find in this price range). I tested it in-store and the quality seemed acceptable... Well I went for a Sony anyway

Firstly well done Mihai you dodged a bullet by not getting the Samsung.

Secondly yes Zaskar the frame is full size and I have been onto Consumer Direct who say I have a case under the Quality of Goods section of the Sales of Goods act 1979.

It is slightly better in brighter light, but let's face it, you just can't fill your front room with key lights and floods when you're filming your family christmas. My mates camera in the same light is fine and his was no dearer than mine but is a JVC.

So I will be getting a refund as I have been more than patient with Argos (yes I know, my own fault, I should have gone to a professional outlet).

Oh yes, that samsung truly is not or merchantable quality. I had an archos mp3 player a few years ago that had a teeny clip on camera, fixed focus, like a web cam, recorded at 500 kbit I think. Only a bit worse than the samsung.....